Trolley retriever



Sept. 27, 1938. E RLL 2,131,223

TROLLEY RETRIEVER Filed Nov. 2, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Sept. 27, 1938. c.I. EARLL 2,131,223

- TROLLEY RETRIEVER Filed Nov. 2, 1956 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 wrZZ,

Mentor.-

Sept. 27, 1938. Q EARLL 2,131,223

' TROLLEY RETRIEVER Filed NOV. 2, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 ENTOR .ILE'WZZ,

ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 27, 1938.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFlCEI TROLLEY RETRIEVER York, Pa;

Application November 2, 1936, Serial No. 108,889

3 Claims.

My invention relates to trolley retrievers of the type in which a drumadapted to receive the trolley rope is mounted in an enclosed case whichalso encloses mechanism by which the drum is rotated under light tensionto wind up or pay out rope under normal operation of the trolley andencloses mechanism by which the drum is automatically operated to windup the rope to pull the trolley down when it has jumped the wire.

More specifically my invention relates. to the type above described inwhich the retrieving spring is located inside the drum.

The retriever of my present invention is particularly adapted to meetthe requirements of trackless trolley operation as distinguished fromordinary trolley car operation. These requirements include greatercertainty of action and greater retrieving action when the trolleyleaves the wire because of the use of two poles and two over-head wires,and because the poles are of much greater length and have a wide lateralmovement.

Another requirement is that the retriever shall be as light and compactas possible, and have a streamlined exterior form such as a surface ofrevolution with a rounded outer end and sides of increasing diameterjoined to the dash with an outward flare or fillet of substantialradius.

The object of my invention is to meet these requirements and othershereinafter described in a simple and effective manner.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure l. is a longitudinal central sectional vies of a complete trolleyretriever embodying my invention on line ll of Fig. 3.

Figure 2 is a cross sectional View on line 2-2 of Fig. 1 looking forwardwith operating parts in position when the retrieving spring is partiallywound up.

Figure 3 is a cross sectional view also on line 2-2 of Fig 1 and alsolooking forward, but showing operating parts in positions which theyassume when the retrieving spring is fully wound up.

Figure 4 is a front view of the flange of the intermediate which carriesstuds for the lock pawl and the set pawl and the bell crank but lookingrearward showing operating parts in the same positions in which they areshown in Fig. 2.

Figure 5 is a View of the inside of the shell or front member of thecase looking forward.

Figures 6 and 7 are respectively a back view and a side view of the backmember on a reduced scale compared to Figs. 1 to 5.

Figure 8 is a back view of the bracket'which is carried on the dash ofthe trolley car,.or

vehicle, to receive and retain the retriever, and

Figure 9 is a fragmentary View of a retaining pin for locking theretriever in the bracket.

In the drawings I indicates the back'member and 2 indicates the frontmember or shell of the case enclosing the winding and retrievingmechanism of the present application. Front-member 2 is cup shaped withthe edge of the cup fitting the edge of the back member, the back memberbeing adapted to fit and to be removably held to a bracket 8 which issecured to the dash of a vehicle.

In the cup of the front member is an opening 2 for passage of thetrolley rope from the drum within the case to the trolley pole soarranged that when the front member is imposition on the back memberthis opening will be above the drum. Opening 2 is also so formed inthefront member that when the front member is in position on the backmember this opening will be below the drum for escape of any water thatmay enter through opening 2 In the back member is formed a circularrecess 3 of a diameter sufficient to receive the rear portion of thewinding and retrieving mechanism and provided in its wall with teeth 4adapted to be engaged by lock pawl 35, set pawl 31 and the centrifugalpawl M,v hereinafter described. On the front of the back member isformed an outwardly extending flange 5, the

outer edge of which is machined on its periphery and its side to fit anannular recess 13 formed in the edge of the cup of the front member,this recess l3 being also machined. The shell and back are securely heldtogether by the central shaft 18, and the shell is located on the backby means of the inwardly projecting lug 5'5 on the shell which comesbetween the two lugs 58 on the back.

The back of back member 4 is provided with preferably three segmentalannular ribs 6 having grooves l in their outer faces adapted tointerlock with segmental annular ribs 9 on the front face of bracket 3,these ribs 9 having inwardly extending portions fitting grooves i sothat when the back member is placed against the bracket with its ribs 6in position between ribs 9 of the bracket and then rotated to cause thesegmental ribs to interlock, the back. member will be held firmly inposition. To facilitate the entrance of the ribs 9 into the grooves l Iprovide circular ledges 1 between the ribs 6 concentric with and of thesame radius as the bottoms of the grooves I. To prevent rotation of theback member tending to unlock the segmental ribs the bracket is providedwith locking pin H] to engage notch l2 in the periphery of the backmember. Locking pin ID as shown is carried in a shell I slotted topermit movement of stud ll carried by the pin. In one side of this slotis formed a notch H into which stud I! may be turned to retain the pinagainst falling down while the retriever is being attached or removed.To prevent the back members from being turned too far in interlockingits ribs 6 with ribs 9 of the bracket a stop 6 is formed at one end ofone of segmental ribs 6.

By means of the three grooved ribs 6 of the back member interlockingwith the three ribs 9 of the bracket, I provide a construction which hasadequate rigidity to prevent injury to the retriever resultingfromcollisions and bumps of considerable severity, which has no rattle evenwhen the clearance in the grooves is greater than that required for theeasy attachment and detachment of the retriever, and I avoid thenecessity of a tightening mechanism toprevent rattle.

Bracket 8 as shown is ring shaped, and is provided on its rear face witha plurality of inwardly extending lugs 50, each having an opening for ascrew or other means for securing it to the dash of the vehicle. Theside 59 of one of the lugs serves with lug 6 of the back of the backmember to stop the back member from being rotated too far in engaging itwith the bracket.

In the bottom of the cup of the front member is a circular chamber 14adapted to receive tension spring 29 and having lugs l5 extendingtowards back member I, within which lugs spring is received with itsouter end engaging one of these lugs. To hold the tension spring inchamber l4 plate l6 extends. over the spring and is secured by suitableretaining means I6 on the inner surface of the bottom of the cup.

I1 indicates a recess in the front of the front member adapted toreceive the head of the shaft N3, the inner end of which is threaded toengage threaded opening I8 in a hub formed at the center of recess 3 inthe back member. Shaft l8 thus serves as means forholdingthe front andback members detachably together. 2| indicates a member of the windingand retrieving mechanism which for convenience is termed anintermediate. It comprises a stem 22 havin bearings to fit shaft l8 andhas a forwardly extending portion 23 of less diameter than the mainportion of the stem. At the rear end of stem 22 is a flange 24 which isadapted to extend into recess 3 of the back member and carries threestuds 25, 26 and 21, extending forward from the front of the flange.

Intermediate 2| is mounted to rotate on shaft i8. 28 indicates the drumon which the trolley rope is wound. This drum has a web 29 at its. rearend in the center of which is the rear hearing for the drum on theintermediate, and it has a removable web or drum disc 36 recessed intoits front end to provide for assembling the retrieving spring and abearing for the front end of the intermediate. This drum disc has aforwardly extending hub 3| which fits the forwardly extending portion2?. of stem 22 and is retained thereon by ring 3l in groove 3! in 23.Hub 3! is provided in the portion extending into the center of thetension spring opening with a notch adapted to engage the inner end ofthe spring. On the rear face of drum disc 30 near its periphery is arearwardly extending lug 39 which is adapted to engage a forwardyextending lug 28 in the front end of the drum so that the turning effortof the tension spring will be transmitted to the drum.

The drum disc 30 provides a closure for the opening in the front end ofthe drum 28 which is necessary for assembling the retrieving spring 33in the drum, it provides a bearing and support for the front end of thedrum and a means for operatively connecting the tension spring with thedrum through the hub 3! of the drum disc, and it also reinforces thefront end- 23 of the intermediate on which there is a heavy stress dueto the action of the retrieving spring.

Retrieving spring 33 occupies substantially the entire space between web29 and drum disc 30. Its inner end is provided with a hook to engage agroove 22 in stem 22 of intermediate 2!, and the outer end of theretrieving spring is provided with hook 33 to engage notch 33 in thedrum so that if the intermediate is held from turning and the rope ispulled out from the drum the rotation of the drum will wind up theretrieving spring.

Under the normal operation of the retriever with the trolley on the wirethe retrieving spring is wound up to a predetermined amount and theintermediate is locked to the drum and the intermediate and drum rotatetogether under the actionrof the tension spring 26 to take in and payout the rope as may be necessary to keep the trolley in contact with theoverhead current supply wire.

When the trolley leaves the wire its sudden and rapid upward movementreleases vor unlocks the intermediate from the drum and simultaneouslylooks it to the back member of the case. The retrieving spring is thuscaused to rotate the drum to wind the trolley rope thereon and pull thepole down. The mechanism by means of which, after the retriever haspulled the pole down, the retrieving spring is rewound, and by means ofwhich the retrieving spring is automatically thrown into action to pullthe trolley pole down when the trolley leaves the wire is referred toherein as the retrieving spring winding and releasing mechanism. Thiswinding and releasing mechanism comprises the intermediate 2l, lock pawl35 mounted on stud 25, bell crank 36 mounted on stud 26, set pawl 31mounted on stud 21, and centrifugal pawl 34 pivotally mounted on lockpawl 35.

The lock pawl 35 engages teeth 38 on the outside of rearwardly extendingring 38 on the drum 28 to prevent unwinding of the retrieving spring. Ithas pivoted to it centrifugal pawl 34. Centrifugal pawl 34 which is heldin its inner position by centrifugal pawl spring 39 is adapted when theintermediate is rotated rapidly to fly out and engage a tooth 4 in thewall of recess 3 of back member I and push lock pawl 35 out ofengagement with a tooth 38 on the drum and into engagement with a tooth4 in the wall of recess 3.

Bell crank 36 has an arm 4! which is adapted to turn into position tocome behind a tooth 38 of the drum when the bell crank is moved by theengagement of the lug 43 on the controller ratchet 42 with the arm 4!]of the bell crank. This contact of arm 4! with the back of tooth 38 isfor the purpose of stopping or limiting the winding of the retrievingspring.

42 indicates a ratchet wheel which I term the controller ratchet. It hasthe same number of teeth as the number of teeth 38 on the ring 38 It isrotatably mounted on the hub 59 between the web 29 of the drum and thecentral front face of the intermediate. The hub 59 is larger thancentral bearing in the web 29 and provides a shoulder for the web 29 tobear against. The controller ratchet is operated by the controller 44,which is a flat curved spring having a curled end driven into the hole45 in one of the teeth 38 of the drum. The controller is of such widththat its front side extending through the opening 29 of the web 29 restsupon the outer coil of the retrieving spring and its rear edge extendsinto the plane of the controller ratchet. The free end of the controllerpresses elastically against the outer coil of the retrieving spring sothat as the spring unwinds to turn the drum clockwise and wind in therope and pull the trolley down its coil enlarges and the controller iscarried out of range of the teeth of the controller ratchet, but beforethe controller has passed out of reach of the ratchet teeth itsengagement with the back of a tooth will turn the controller ratchetclockwise carrying the lug 43 away from the bell crank arm 40 and arounduntil the lug 43 encounters the stop lug 48 on the intermediate. Afterthe lug 43 has engaged the stop lug 48 the controller may snap overseveral teeth before being carried out of range of the ratchet, forspiral springs like the retrieving spring do not unwind in the exactreverse order in which they wind up; in winding up for several turns thefiexure takes place in the inner coils before the outer coils begin tomove, and in unwinding the inner coils also flex first.

When the retrieving spring is wound up by turning the drumanti-clockwise a predetermined amount the controller will engage andturn the ratchet until the lug 43 passes from its position against thestop lug 48 around to engagement with arm 40 of the bell crank and thenturn the bell crank on its stud 26 until arm 4| comes in the path of atooth 38 on the drum, and thus positively stop further winding of theretrieving spring. The lock pawl will then drop into engagement withanother tooth 38 on the drum and prevent the spring from unwinding. Theturning of the ratchet through a substantial angle after the controllerfirst engages it but before lug 43 engages the arm 4! of the bell crankinsures a secure engagement.

The set pawl 31 mounted on the stud 21 of the intermediate has attachedto it the set pawl spring 46. One end of the spring has a right angledbend which passes through a hole in the pawl whence it leads around thehub of the pawl and passes through a hole in the lug 60' at the end ofarm 4| of the bell crank. The lug 60 on the set pawl is adapted tocontact the bell crank at a greater radial distance from the center ofstud 21 than from the contact of the spring 46 with the lug 60 of thebell crank. The spring 46 tends to press the set pawl and bell cranktogether and when they are in contact to turn them outwardly to causethe set pawl to engage the teeth 4 of the back, and the bell crank toclear the teeth 38 of the drum, as seen in Fig. 2,'and at the completionof the winding of the retrieving spring it permits the bell crank to beturned by the controller to engage a tooth 38 to stop the drum while theset pawl is still in engagement with a tooth 4 of the back. After thedrum has been stopped a slight pull down on the trolley rope willrelease the pressure on the set pawl and it will drop down to the bellcrank where its end will be clear of the teeth 4 of the back.

The shaft l8 has a central hole drilled from its front end back to thechamber 6! in the intermediate and an oiling device such as the wellknown Zerk fitting is inserted in its front end, by means of which oilfor the various bearings may be supplied. r 7

Having thus described my invention what I claim is: I

1. In a trolley retriever, a casing adapted to be attached at one sideto a vehicle, a shaft extending laterally within said casing, an intermediate mounted on said shaft, a drum mounted on said intermediate, a ropeconnected to said drum and adapted to be wound thereon, a re trievingspring connected between said intermediate and drum, said retrievingspring being mounted within and being substantially as wide I as saiddrum, automatic means adapted to render said retrieving spring effectiveupon abnormal movement of said rope, said means including a ratchetmounted on said intermediate, a tension spring connectedbetweensaidcasing and drum, of less diameter than said drum and mountedon the side of said drum opposite said attaching side of the casing,said casing being of substantially smooth rounded contour andsubstantially housing the above mentioned elements.

2. A device as set forth in claim 1, including a ring on said drumprovided with peripheral teeth, a controller having one end secured tothe drum and having its free end bearing against the outer coil of theretrieving spring, a controller ratchet having teeth equal in number tothe teeth in said ring on said drum rotatably mounted on theintermediate having a laterally projecting lug adapted to be engaged andturned by said controller during the winding of said retrieving spring.

3. A device as set forth in claim 1, including a ring on said drumprovided with peripheral teeth, a controller having one end secured tothe drum and having its free end bearing against the outer coil of theretrieving spring, a controller ratchet having teeth equal in number tothe teeth in said ring on said drum rotatably mounted on theintermediate having a laterally projecting lug adapted to be engaged andturned by said controller during the winding of said retrieving spring,means for stopping the rotation of the drum operated by said lugcomprising a bell crank having one arm in the path of movement of thelug on the controller ratchet and having its other arm adapted to engagea tooth on the ring of the drum, said teeth of said controller ratchetbeing so constructed and arranged that the engagement of the teethduring the unwinding of the retrieving spring shall carry said ratchetaway from its engaging position with said bell crank to a fixed angularposition ratchet will turn through a substantial anglebefore the lug onsaid ratchet engages the arm of said bell crank lever.

- CHARLES I. EARLL.

